


The Handkerchief

by meeble



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Marichat, Mentions of Ladynoir, Post Season 3, Reveal, adrienette - Freeform, someone give Chat a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 01:47:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29752212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meeble/pseuds/meeble
Summary: This was their new normal. They slipped into it much more easily than she’d expected. Well, it was easy for her, since she knew him well as Ladybug, but she had been admittedly surprised at how easily Chat seemed to want to know her.It was a learning experience, in a way. Sometimes, Marinette forgot that there was a boy under the mask. A boy her age, who also had hopes and fears and good days and bad days. A boy who had a rocky family life, who was kind and didn’t want to hurt his friends, a boy who cried at Disney movies and preferred macaroons over any kind of cookie.And they were friends. That alone made her feel good. She had forgotten, in the midst of everything going on, that she and Chat were supposed to be friends on top of partners. Maybe she had taken that for granted.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 7
Kudos: 165





	The Handkerchief

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone. Here's a pretty long one shot from me. This is my take on how I hope Adrien and Marinette's relationship will develop in Season 4. I think there's a lot of potential in Marichat. I also just think Marinette and Adrien deserve to get to know each other and develop a good friendship without feelings getting in the way. We're robbed of that emotional development in the show. 
> 
> Also, Chat deserves a damn hug. So does Marinette after all the shit she went through. Obviously the ending would be different, but if they did something like this with them in S4, I'd be ecstatic.
> 
> Anyway. Please enjoy.

Marinette curled her arms around herself. It was one of those nights where she desperately needed to be alone, allowed to cry and vent without anyone else knowing what she was crying about. Even Tikki had understood and had disappeared. Her parents were out that night, so she was truly left to herself.

She rubbed her eyes. She’d cried all she could, and now she was just tired. She’d thought she was handling all of this well, but letting go of her feelings for Adrien had turned out to be more difficult than she thought. Plus, there was the added bonus of Chat feeling more distant than usual lately. She just got so tired of it all sometimes. Tired of being the Guardian, tired of everyone relying on her, tired of being Ladybug…

Marinette sighed. She was sitting on her balcony, trying to dry her red eyes as she looked up at the twinkling starry sky. It had been quiet lately, so besides the occasional patrol, she hadn’t seen much of Chat. And she’d been purposely avoiding Adrien for some time.

A frustrated sigh startled her, and she shot up, looking around. Finally, her eyes landed on a familiar form lying on a roof nearby, also watching the stars. He looked defeated and tired, much like how she felt. It was Chat Noir.

A part of Marinette’s heart warmed. She loved and cared deeply about Chat. He was her beloved partner, despite romantic complications, and they were each other’s best friend. It had hurt way more than she’d thought when he grew a bit distant. He was still the same as ever, and yet also...not.

He must’ve felt her staring, because he jerked his head to the side and they made eye contact. Embarrassed, Marinette quickly looked away, hoping he would just leave. Her mind scrambled to remember the times she’d interacted with him as Marinette, and her blush grew. Right. She’d supposedly been in love with him.

Oh, the irony of it all. Wasn’t it all so much fun?

She heard a soft _thmp_ behind her and turned her head slightly. He was perched, somewhat uncertainly, on her railing. “Ah...hello, Chat Noir.”

He wasn’t as peppy as usual. He seemed to be hesitant, too. “Hello, Marinette. It’s been a while, huh?”

Marinette gave him a strained smile. “Yeah, it sure has. Have you been doing well?”

“Oh, you know, the life of a superhero.” He tried to smile back at her, but she saw his shoulders fall. “Always so much...fun.”

She chewed on her lip, but her affection for Chat outweighed her own inner struggle. “You okay? You seem a little down.”

Chat looked up at her, and there was a sudden understanding there. They were both bitterly sad. And they just wanted some time to be allowed to be sad. 

Marinette felt she could only be truly sad and vulnerable when she wasn’t Ladybug. Perhaps, she thought, Chat felt the same way during his civilian life.

He hopped down from the railing. “I suppose you could say...I’m just confused about a lot. And it hurts people I care about. Figuring out how you feel about others is hard.”

A bitter laugh bubbled out before Marinette could help it. “Tell me about it.”

Chat seemed surprised. “You’re having relationship problems…?”

“You don’t have to seem so shocked on my account.” Marinette scooted over, an unspoken invitation for him to join her. After a moment’s hesitation, he sat beside her.

“It’s true. I’m trying to let go of someone. It’s just a lot harder than I thought it would be.” She tightened her arms reflexively. “But I need to, because he’s in love with someone else.”

“What--with someone else?” The genuine surprise in his voice made her heart warm in affection. “But I thought…” he trailed off. “So you aren’t dating this boy, then?”

She shook her head. “No. And now I’m just at a loss at how to feel. Maybe it’s for the best, though. There’s just been a lot going on in my life, and...maybe romance is the last thing I need to worry about right now. Maybe this is a sign to just focus on myself.”

Marinette wasn’t expecting Chat’s sudden hug, but her body relaxed. She was used to his hugs, as Ladybug, and was too tired to pretend to be surprised. She hugged him back, not realizing how much she needed a comforting hug until now. It also came with the realization she was crying again.

“It’s okay to have feelings, Marinette.” His voice was so gentle and warm. “I’m sorry. I know exactly how you feel.”

“You do…?” Guilt stabbed her stomach. _Was this about Ladybug?_

“I can’t tell you too much, but...I’ve been having some confusing feelings, too. And I just don’t want to hurt anyone. But letting go of feelings is the hardest thing I’ve ever tried to do.”

_Tried?_

Marinette shook her head. This wasn’t about her speculating Chat’s feelings. This was about him hurting and needing comfort. She pulled him in closer, tightening her hold.

“It’s okay to have feelings, Chat,” she mirrored his words. “I’m sorry, too. You’re going to be okay, kitty. I promise.”

At the sound of the pet name, which she let slip, she felt him tense and untense quickly. Then she heard a sniffle, and realized he was crying. Smiling softly, she rubbed his back as he cried quietly on her shoulder.

When he was cried out, she pulled back and offered him her handkerchief. “Here. Do you want some hot chocolate? I can make some. It’s a little chilly.”

He accepted it gratefully and looked at her with some surprise. “I’d like that,” he confessed with a slight smile. “I guess I was hesitant to tell you about my relationship problems, since, you know…”

“Huh...? Oh!” She blushed. “Don’t worry about that. I got over you awhile ago.”

He chuckled, and she started laughing, too. They were quite the pair, weren’t they?

“Here. I’ll be right back.” She draped the blanket she had on around his shoulders and disappeared down into her room to make some hot chocolate.

When she returned, he was sitting on the railing overlooking the scene below, apparently lost in thought. At the sound of her coming back up, he turned around to give her a smile. A small one, but a real one.

Without speaking, they rearranged so they were sitting beside one another with the blanket draped over their laps. He accepted the hot chocolate and sipped it, a smile tugging as he tasted it. “This is delicious, Marinette.”

“Thanks. It’s my dad’s recipe. You should try his sometime, it’s way better than mine.”

“I doubt that.” He sounded sincere, and she couldn’t help the small smile. 

They sat like that for a while, just sipping their drinks and enjoying the company. Marinette had thought she didn’t want to see anyone tonight, but his company was just what she needed.

“You’re really amazing, Marinette,” he spoke, surprising her. “I mean, doing all this for someone like me. You’re a good friend.”

“Why wouldn’t I do this for you?” she questioned, not understanding his line of thinking. “We’re friends, aren’t we?”

“We are?” His tone broke her heart. She had to take a second to remember she wasn’t Ladybug right now.

“Of course we are. I mean, I know we don’t spend much time together or anything, but--”

“I’m glad,” he interrupted her rambling. “I’d really like to be your friend, Marinette.”

He smiled at her, and she returned it. 

“I think having a good friend to rely on can make all the difference,” Marinette murmured. “Someone who won’t pry too much, but just accept your feelings, all the bad and good. It’s kind of nice.”

He nodded, then looked down at his cup. It was empty.

“Do you want some more?” Marinette offered, amused. He looked so sad that there wasn’t any more hot chocolate.

As he opened his mouth to answer, she heard a beep from his ring. They both looked at it, surprised. He chuckled.

“I guess that’s my cue, Princess. I better get going.” He stood, and she stood up with him. “Thank you, Marinette. Really. It was nice to sit with you.”

“Same here, Chat.” She found herself a little sad to see him go. “Take care of yourself.”

“I will.” He hopped on the railing, then stopped. He turned to Marinette, who was watching him curiously.

“Is it okay...I mean, would it be alright if I came back sometime?” his voice was soft and unsure. A smile spread across Marinette’s face.

“Of course, Chat. You’re welcome at any time.”

He beamed, and a real, genuine grin was the last thing she saw before he swung away.

~

Marinette had just gotten back to her room after an akuma attack. Her chest was hurting. Chat had not been himself during the fight, and he’d run off before they could even fist-bump at the end. She wondered desperately if she’d done something to upset him. 

Before she could think any more about it, she heard a thump on her balcony. Worried, she ran up and threw open the trapdoor.

She was attacked by a blur of black leather and blonde hair, and barely had time to register it was Chat before nearly being knocked over. Nevertheless, she caught him, and duly realized he was sobbing.

“Chat--? What…?” She stuttered out, then reflexively pulled him in for a hug. She fell quiet, gently rubbing his back as he cried, holding her tight.

After a few minutes, he pulled back, allowing her to breathe. He was hiccuping. “Sorry--my dad--” he caught himself. “Family problems, and just--more relationship stuff...I could barely keep it together with Ladybug today, and I just know she’s disappointed…”

“Whoa, hold on, hold on,” Marinette took his hands. “First, there’s no way Ladybug is disappointed in you. And second, it’s okay to be upset and have problems.” Pause. “Why don’t you come in?”

He looked at her with big watery eyes. “Inside? Your room?”

She nodded. “Yeah. My parents are busy in the bakery. And I don’t think you’d want people to see you on my balcony.”

She led the teary cat into her room, thankful that Tikki had thought to hide. She let him sit on her chaise, fetching some tea from downstairs. “Here.”

He accepted it quietly and she sat with him as he drank. The silence was comfortable, but she just felt awful. She wished she’d said something to him as Ladybug.

“I know it must be weird to comfort me when I’m crying so much,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t you dare apologize to me,” Marinette said sternly. “I told you before, we’re friends. And it’s okay. If you’re sad, and you don’t know who to talk to, you can always talk to me.”

He stared at her, and Marinette blinked. She wondered if she said something wrong. Chat teared up.

“That’s...thank you. Really.”

“Of course,” she replied softly. Silence stretched between them, and Marinette wondered what she should do. Chat wasn’t crying anymore, but the sadness rolled off of him. He just seemed so tired and worn down, and it hurt because she knew how that felt.

“Do you like movies?” She ventured.

His head snapped up. “Huh?”

“Movies,” she repeated. “Do you like them? Want to watch something?”

Again, he seemed dumbfounded, and she was about to apologize when he spoke.

“Tangled. I...really like Disney movies.”

She couldn’t resist teasing him. “Disney movies, huh? That doesn’t surprise me, somehow.” She nudged him with her shoulder.

He nudged her back. “Hey, c’mon, now. Don’t you like Disney movies?”

She laughed. “I do. Hold on, let me get the TV set up.”

After some shuffling, with Chat’s help, she got the TV in place. They made a comfy spot in her room, and she got some snacks. They settled in.

It was a good movie, and it had been awhile since Marinette had watched it. At the end, when Rapunzel was reuniting with her family, she looked over and saw Chat sniffling. She stifled a giggle.

He poked her. “Hey, come on, no laughing at the cat.”

“Sorry, sorry. It’s just amusing that you cry so easily at Disney princess movies.”

“Princess movies with a princess. I’m just paw-sitively overwhelmed!”

_There’s the Chat I know._

Marinette smiled fondly at him. “I’d give you my handkerchief, but you stole it the last time you were here.”

Realization dawned on his face. “I knew I forgot something! I’ll bring it back to you next time, Purr-incess.”

Marinette laughed and shoved him playfully, resulting in an avalanche of cat puns being thrown her way. Somehow, she found she didn’t mind them as much as she said she did.

~

She didn’t even look up as a familiar form swung into her window. Taking the pins out of a piece of fabric, she spared him a glance. “You’re early.”

They’d been having weekly movie nights. Chat had insisted they rewatch the entire Disney princess movie line in order of release date. This week’s pick was _Sleeping Beauty._

“What, a cat can’t be eager to see his Princess?” He’d kept calling her that, and honestly, she didn’t mind. It was fun, and nice to have him calling her any nicknames, really. He just kept calling her Ladybug in costume. She would never admit it, but she missed _m’lady_ and _Bugaboo._

“Of course you can. Your snacks are over there.” She nodded towards her desk. “I’m just finishing up this piece.”

“What are you sewing?” He perched beside her, interestedly looking at the shimmery blue fabric. “A dress?”

She nodded. “I haven’t been designing as much as I’d like. It felt like I had no free time, between school, helping at home, and--” she hesitated. “Trying to get that boy to notice me.” _And being Ladybug._

“But since I’ve started focusing more on what I want to do, I’ve started sketching and actually sewing when I can. This is a simple summer dress, but I like the color and fabric.”

“It looks really purr-etty,” Chat complimented her. “It’ll look great on you!”

Marinette laughed. “Thanks, Chat.”

This was their new normal. They slipped into it much more easily than she’d expected. Well, it was easy for her, since she knew him well as Ladybug, but she had been admittedly surprised at how easily Chat seemed to want to know her. 

It was a learning experience, in a way. Sometimes, Marinette forgot that there was a boy under the mask. A boy her age, who also had hopes and fears and good days and bad days. A boy who had a rocky family life, who was kind and didn’t want to hurt his friends, a boy who cried at Disney movies and preferred macaroons over any kind of cookie.

And they were friends. That alone made her feel good. She had forgotten, in the midst of everything going on, that she and Chat were supposed to be friends on top of partners. Maybe she had taken that for granted. 

Besides, being able to be herself around him had really helped her through trying to get over Adrien. She wondered if she ever would let him go completely. It had gotten better, slowly. She’d even gotten back to the point where she could talk to him at school.

“Hey, Marinette? Can I ask you something?”

Drawn out of her thoughts, she looked over at Chat. “Yes? What is it?”

“Your friends at school...do you talk to them about me?”

Marinette was surprised. “Well, no. I figured you wouldn’t want me to. It might be dangerous, wouldn’t it?”

“Yeah...I guess so.” He seemed to be a bit put out, but Marinette couldn’t think why. She looked back down at her sewing project.

“Hey, Chat?”

He looked up at her. “Yeah?”

“Those romantic feelings that you told me were confusing...have you had any luck figuring that out?” She chewed on her lip.

There was a short silence. She fiddled with her fingers, unwilling to look up. She was afraid she might have pushed her luck.

“Not exactly.” She kept her eyes down as he spoke. “I mean--I do like this girl, but…” he sighed. “I can’t let go. I don’t know why. Something just doesn’t feel right. I thought love was supposed to be, like, you look at them and you just know? But it isn’t like that at all.”

“I know,” Marinette said quietly. “No matter how much you like someone...if they like someone else, then what’s the point?”

She looked up, not realizing how close Chat had gotten, and they stared at each other. Marinette searched his face for...something. She wasn’t sure what. She just...felt strange. 

_Is this what letting go is like?_

A horn from outside made them both jump, and they easily laughed it off. Marinette shook off the strange feeling as a byproduct of their serious conversation. 

“Come on, you set up the TV and I’ll get the snacks.”

“Did you make--”

“Yes, Chat, I made macaroons.”

~

“No!”

Marinette heard Chat’s scream right as she went flying across the street. As she landed with a painful grunt, she tried not to wince as she felt her ankle turn. Well, this wasn’t good. She desperately needed to transform, but--

“Leave her _alone!”_

A snarl ripped out of Chat’s throat as she watched him tackle the akuma. Marinette still wasn’t quite sure who it was, but they were only targeting young girls for some reason. Perhaps a jealous girlfriend. She tried to sit up, worried about Tikki, and her head swam.

“Marinette! Marinette, hey, look at me. Are you okay?” Her back hit a warm arm, and she blinked up at Chat. His face was drawn back in worry. 

“I--” another wave of dizziness hit her, and she resisted the urge to puke. _I must’ve hit my head harder than I thought. I need to transform right away._

“Hold on, Mari.” She’d never heard Chat sound like that before. “I’ve got you. I won’t let anyone hurt you. Where is Ladybug?!”

 _Ladybug won’t come,_ Marinette wanted to say. But she couldn’t. All she could do was let Chat whisk her away. He took her to her house, depositing her gently onto her bed. His lips were pressed together, and his face was pale.

“Rest here. I’ll be back once the akuma is gone, I promise. Hopefully Ladybug’s magic heals you. If it doesn’t, I’ll take you to the hospital. I’m so sorry, Marinette. Just hold on, okay?”

She caught his hand as he turned to go. Words were stuck in her throat as she tried to focus. “Not your fault, Chat. I’ll be okay.”

To her complete surprise, he lifted the hand she was holding his with and kissed the back of it firmly. “I’ll see to it, Marinette. Please wait for me.”

She stared as he disappeared, and slowly sat up. Her stomach lurched.

Tikki popped out. “Are you okay, Marinette? Once you transform, it should heal you!”

“Right,” Marinette said absently. “Of course.” She stared at her hand, then shook her head.

“Tikki, spots on!”

~

Marinette had managed to duck away after the akuma, not really surprised when Chat offered a quick, “Good job!” and took off in the direction of her house. That meant she had to take a different route.

She transformed in an alley outside the bakery, then hurried inside and through the door. When she burst into her room, she found a panicked cat.

He ran up to her, grabbing her upper arms. “Marinette! Are you okay? Is your head better? Where did you go?”

She took a second to blink back at those big green eyes, currently aggressively worried about her. She felt something in her chest flutter, but opted to ignore it.

“I’m okay, Chat,” she told him gently. “I was fine after Ladybug’s magic. I just went down to make sure my parents were okay.”

He believed her. He visibly relaxed, his grip loosening. Despite herself, Marinette couldn’t resist lunging forward to hug him. He immediately hugged her back.

“Thanks for worrying about me, you silly cat,” she whispered. She was touched. “I’ll be more careful from now on. You’re the best.”

She felt him chuckle, her head against his chest. “Naturally. Where would I be without my Princess?”

They stayed like that for a moment, lingering longer than Marinette would admit. Faintly, she heard a soft sound emanating from deep in his chest. She’d heard it once before.

“Are you...purring?”

He choked. “What--no, I was just--!”

She laughed at him, releasing the hug, and couldn’t help teasing him as they settled down for an impromptu movie night. She hardly noticed nodding off as she fell asleep against his shoulder, and woke up snugly tucked into her bed.

~

Marinette was packing up her things after class. She’d talked to Adrien normally all week, and was finally beginning to hope that she was getting over him. Alya, blessedly, hadn’t pushed her to talk to him, and daily life was becoming easier seeing him every day.

As she shouldered her backpack, she noticed Adrien was the only other one still in the room. Apparently he had taken his time packing his things, too.

She offered a tiny smile to him as she went down, and he gave her a dazzling smile in return. “Hey, Marinette. Any fun plans after school today?”

Tonight was movie night with Chat, but she couldn’t exactly tell him that. “Oh, not much, just...this and that…” she replied vaguely.

“Ah, I see.” He seemed pleased. “Well, have fun! See you around.” He turned and walked out. As he did, something fell out of his pocket and fluttered onto the floor.

“Oh, Adrien! You dropped…” All the air left Marinette’s lungs as she bent down to retrieve the object. A handkerchief. With her name embroidered on it.

The very same handkerchief she’d given to Chat, ages ago.

Why did Adrien have it?

A million excuses ran through her mind, but there was only one reasonable explanation. Chat Noir and Adrien were the same person.

She thought she might faint.

As she ran home, handkerchief clutched to her chest and tears burning her eyes, she couldn’t help but to go over all the similarities in her mind. They were the same person. The boy she’d kept rejecting, only to become good friends with, was Adrien. The crush she was trying so desperately to get over.

And she’d thought she had succeeded!

Marinette flung herself across her bed. She was supposed to see Chat--Adrien--tonight. They were supposed to watch _Mulan_ together. How could she keep doing this, knowing what she knew? She wasn’t supposed to know! Would he have to give up his Miraculous? 

She sat up. But he still didn’t know she was Ladybug. As long as he didn’t know, and she never revealed she knew, then it was okay, right? Everything would be okay. She just had to pretend.

Marinette spent the rest of her time trying to psyche herself into believing that. That she could pull this off and pretend the boy she would cuddle with wasn’t Adrien, who was in a relationship with Kagami, and... _oh, what a mess._

She nearly jumped out of her skin when Chat landed beside her. He was holding a bouquet of flowers, which she took numbly. He’d brought her one or two flowers before, ever since she mentioned that she liked them. “Gardenias?”

“Thought you might like these, Princess,” he said happily, perched on her windowsill. “What do you think? I pick pretty well, don’t I?”

All she could concentrate on was the fact Adrien was the one who had given her flowers. Beautiful, full bloom flowers. And she was supposed to sit there and pretend to roll her eyes and smile and laugh just like she always did. Because Adrien, and also Chat, would never return her feelings. He would never know how much this hurt. 

She squeezed the bouquet, setting them in a vase she kept on her desk just for this purpose. Her hands shook.

“Princess?” She realized she’d never responded to Chat. “Are you okay?”

Marinette closed her eyes and chewed on her lip. “Yeah, sorry, I…” her voice broke.

“Marinette?” He was by her side in an instant. She realized tears were running down her face, and quickly tried to wipe them away. “What is it? What happened?”

“I…” the handkerchief was burning a hole in her pocket. Her face heated up. _I can’t do this._

Her head dropped, and she let the tears escape. “I’m...I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“What? Why are you sorry?” Chat’s tone was gentle, but that just made Marinette cry harder. Her hands clenched together. Slowly, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the handkerchief. Silently, she handed it to him.

He took it, confused. “Your...handkerchief…?”

“You dropped it in the classroom today,” she said softly.

Realization dawned on his face, and several conflicting emotions passed across his features. “Mari...I…”

She buried her face in her hands. “I didn’t mean to find out. I-I just…”

Several moments ticked by. “Are you disappointed?”

She lifted her head, shocked. “What?”

“Are you disappointed it’s me?” His voice was quiet. “I mean, you don’t seem to want to talk to me much at school. I thought maybe you just weren’t interested in being friends. I was so glad--when you told me--Chat--” he faltered. “Do you need me to go?”

Marinette wanted to say yes. She wasn’t ready for this. She couldn’t handle this reality, all of the what-ifs and could-have-beens swirling around in her mind. All of it hurt. And she didn’t know if the one person who had been her safe haven leaving would break her.

“No,” she managed, trying to stop crying. “Don’t go. I--I’m not disappointed. I just…” How could she explain? How could she tell him everything? Without revealing her identity, without telling him her feelings, without...being rejected again?

He took her hands. “You’re shaking, Marinette.” Worry reflected in his eyes, and he used the handkerchief to wipe her tears. That does her in.

She stood up abruptly, turning away and wrapping her arms around herself. Her shoulders shook. “I-I was in love with you.” Her voice was small. “I was in love with Adrien for so long. I couldn’t talk around him, I couldn’t act like a normal person. I rejected everyone else in favor of him. And then the minute he gets into a relationship, I tried to let go. I really did! I moved on. And then--and then--” her voice cracked. “I get to know another boy, and he’s kind, and gentle, and I talk to him normally, and we hang out every week--he’s funny, he likes my cooking, and protects me...I fall for him. Over time.” Her eyes squeezed shut. “And it turns out he’s the same boy I’m trying to get over.”

A long, heartbreaking silence stretched between them. Marinette’s heart cracked. It’s all out there now. He knew. And ironically enough, it felt like a ten-pound weight had been lifted off each shoulder.

“I know this is probably a lot for you to process, but--”

“Why are you trying to get over me?”

A pause. 

“What?” 

“Why are you trying to get over me?” Chat--Adrien, whatever--repeated.

Marinette whirled around, disbelieving. “Because you’re with Kagami, and you said you were trying to get over Ladybug, and--”

He cupped her cheek. Marinette stammered to a stop. She stared up at him, wide-eyed and confused. “I’m not with Kagami.”

“W-What?”

“I tried to be with Kagami,” he confessed. “But it didn’t work. She could tell I wasn’t fully committed. Like you said, I was trying to get over Ladybug. And on top of that, for the first time, I met someone who let me cry on her shoulder and accepted my emotions. Someone who listened and cheered me up and I felt myself developing feelings for.”

All Marinette could do was gape at him.

“And then you were nearly hurt badly by an akuma.” His face darkened. “I never want to feel that way again. I was so--so angry. So scared. I’d never felt like that before. Ladybug, she...she’s always in control of any situation. And she refuses to learn more about my civilian side, which I understand, but...I just liked her so much.”

Marinette’s lip trembled. “Chat--”

“But I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” He tugged her closer. “You’re incredibly kind and empathetic. You cheer me up however you can. You’re talented and funny. I just--I had never fully noticed before because I’d never spent proper time with you.”

His face lowered. “I was falling for you, and I didn’t want to admit it to myself.”

Marinette couldn’t stop herself anymore. She grabbed his bell and pulled him down, kissing him. Electricity shivered down her spine. She was reminded of the previous time she’d kissed Chat--but this time was different. This time she was her. Marinette. And she knew--he was Adrien.

She was kissing Adrien, and he was kissing her back.

His hands rested on her waist, and she wrapped hers around his neck. But she couldn’t lose herself just yet--she needed to tell him.

She broke the kiss, giggling at the pout on his face as he tried to chase her. “Come back.”

“Chat. Adrien.” She smiled, then it fell. “I need to tell you something.”

He nodded, and she gathered her courage. “I’m...I’m Ladybug.”

He stared at her. She was chewing her lip.

“I should have been honest, but--”

He surged forward again, kissing her so passionately she was left dizzy. He pulled her up so close she was lifted off the ground, and she could barely return the flurry of kisses.

“Of course you are,” he whispered. “No one else could be my lady. It makes so much sense.”

The joy in his voice brought tears to her eyes, and she hid her face against his shoulder. “I was afraid. And then I found out your identity, so I just…”

“Thank you for telling me, Princess.” She pulled back to look at him. He looked so sincere. “Thank you, truly. I’m so happy. We’ll defeat Hawkmoth together, won’t we?”

Marinette laughed. “We will. Together.”

Their hands intertwined, and Marinette basked in that promise. Things would be okay. They could figure it out together. For now, she was going to hold Chat tight and never let him go again.


End file.
